Unit 2. The start of the Modern Age in Spain and America

 Introduction to the unit.

We already studied some general features of the Modern Age for the whole of Europe in Unit 1. Now we are going to study events and processes that took place in the Iberian Peninsula.

During this period we are studying the Hispanic Monarchy is going to become very strong and rich; in fact it is going to have the hegemony over the whole of Europe. 

The Catholic Monarchs are going to be the first monarchs who achieve the authoritarian monarchy. Their heirs, Charles I and Phillip II will continue reigning all throughout the 16th c.

During this period the areas that the Hispanic Monarchy controls in America are going to be increased by the conquests of huge areas in that continent. The Spanish monarchs are going to create different institutions to be able to control de territories in America. 

It is also the time of the Renaissance, which has already been spread from Italy. We can speak of a golden age in culture and art. 

 



1. The reign of the Catholic Monarchs

The Catholic Monarchs are going to develop different domestic and foreign policies in order to be able to gain more power
My advice is that you first read point 1 of your book.
Then you can listen to this audio.

Remember, the Iberian Peninsula was composed of several Christian kingdoms and the Muslim Nasrid K. of Granada

The Catholic Monarchs will reign in the last quarter of the 15th c. starting with the authoritarian monarchy

The successor of the Catholic Monarchs (grandson) was finally Charles I, who reigned from 1516 until 1556

The son of Charles I was the king of the Hispanic Monarchy from 1556 until 1598

Activities:

1.1 Make a time-line with the different monarchs of Spain in this period (landscape mode)

1.2 Make a mind-map of point 1 of your book incorporating only key words and dates.

1.3 Write an expository text about the reign of the Catholic Monarchs (remember structure: introduction, body with different paragraphs for every main idea, conclusion)

1.4 Describe the map "Foreign policy: expansion into Africa, the Atlantic and Europe" in page 37. Remember: refer to the title, geographical space, time, legend.



The Hispanic Monarchy

- Read point 2 of unit 2

- Listen to this audio while looking at the mind-map

2. Copy this mind-map in your notebook

3. Why was it necessary for the kings of the 16th c. to incorporate the figures of secretaries, councils and viceroys?

4. Answer to the following questions regarding the map in page 39.

• a. Which color are the territories belonging to Charles I?
• b. Did Philip II incorporate Hungary?
• c. Did Philip II incorporate Flanders?
• d. Who did Philip II inherit the Crown of Castilla from?
• e. Did Philip II receive Algiers?
• f. Did Charles I have any rights over América?
• g. Did Charles I have any rights over Portugal?
• h. Why did Charles I and Philip II have rights over the kingdom of Naples?
• i. Try to remember where and where M. Luther started Protestantism. Did it occur in any of the territories belonging to these monarchs (Charles I and jPhilip II)?

5. Read in your text-book (point 2) and find out if Charles I and Philip II had a fixed court (corte fija o estable; si tenían una residencia fija desde la que gobernaban o si cambiaban de residencia constantemente)

6. Write a short biography of both Hispanic monarchs of the 16th c. Try to find out which was the main obsession/problem of each one of them. (Do not copy literally from the Internet or books)

Philip the Handsome (Felipe el Hermoso). Was he handsome or not?